Chivhayo’s multi-million dollar splurge gets him in ZACC cross-hairs, controversial businessman blasts anti-graft body for investigating donation to church
CONTROVERSIAL businessman Wicknell Chivhayo’s multi-million dollar splurge on top-of-the-range vehicles and about 100 Toyota Aquas for his Johane Masowe church-mates resulted in anti-graft body ZACC initiating investigations into his source of funds, a leaked memo has confirmed.
The memo, dated June 23, 2023, revealed that ZACC’s ‘Team Alpha’ had decided to investigate Chivhayo’s source of wealth following his initial donation of 50 Toyota Aqua vehicles to the named apostolic church.
Chivhayo has since splashed over US$5 million on high-end vehicles for musicians and chanters that he argues were instrumental in ensuring President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s electoral triumph last year.
Superstar Jah Prayzah, Zim Dancehall DJ Fantan, yesteryear diva Sandra Ndebele, and Sulumani Chimbetu, son to late war veteran Simon, all received top-of-the-range Mercedes Benz cars from a local dealership, Exquisite, that is also being investigated by ZACC.
“The Respondent (Chivhayo) has been purchasing luxurious vehicles of late either for himself, his spouse, or church congregates and posting the purchases on his social media which has raised a lot of suspicions that the Respondent is involved in illicit activities.
“This has sparked interest and Team Alpha has started carrying out investigations on the subject,” reads the memo.
ZACC has not commented on the matter, with sources at the anti-graft body revealing that doing so on such cases tended to alert those who might be targets of investigations.
According to the source, a recent swoop on two Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) officials with unexplained wealth of over US$2 million was the culmination of a two-year-long investigation.
The two, Knox Mutatabikwa and wife Maonei have been ordered ‘to explain how they obtained five vehicles and eight properties in the medium and low-density areas of Beitbridge and Norton.’
However, Chivhayo took to social media on Thursday to accuse ZACC officers of being overzealous and initiating the investigation so that he would donate to them too.
“Some overzealous law enforcement officials are running back and forth wasting government resources hoping and dreaming a report will come soon. You will wait forever hakuna chiri kuuya (you will not find anything) said Chivhayo.
“Izvi ndezve denga, iyo mari yakawanda kudai ingabiwe pai chero ndimi? (This is a blessing from the heavens and even though, where would one steal so much money? Give respect where it’s due…This is God’s engineering.
“Chandi rwadza munoenda pa Car Sale kuno bvunza ma Aqua aka tengerwa vapostori, mukadzi ane 65 years asina kumboita mota all her life oita first car then iwe worwadziwa. Ko kungoti vaChivayo ku ZACC tokumbirawo chirongwa che ma Aqua chisvike nekuno.”
(What hurts me the most is that you visit the Car Sale and start questioning my purchase of Aquas for members of our apostolic church including 65-year-olds who have never bought a car their entire lives. Why did you not just request that the Aquas programme be extended to you at ZACC?)
Chivhayo is no stranger to controversy and graft accusations, having spent two years in jail for money laundering between 2005 and 2007 before his arrest in 2018 on allegations of bribery.
Despite being cleared of the later bribery charges, how he has been spending his millions has raised eyebrows not just at ZACC but across Zimbabwe.
